Sophorn Cheang was born in the capital city of Cambodia on October 16, 1980, to Cambodian parents; therefore, she self-identifies as Cambodian-American. Cheang was raised in Cambodia until she was 19 when she moved to Oregon to attend, first, Mount Hood Community College and then Portland State University to earn an associate's degree in banking and another degree in finance. Because her aunt and uncle were already living in Gresham, Oregon, they sponsored her to attend school; her parents have since moved to the United States. First getting involved with the Asian Family Center in 2010, Cheang joined the advisory board in early 2011; she then became the chair of the advisory board until she quit that position to pursue the operating side of the non-profit organization. She currently works as the community health and leadership development manager where she both oversees the programs that work closely with the organization's health programs and manages the budget., The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) was established in 1976 to serve immigrants and refugees in Portland, Oregon. IRCO's mission is to promote the integration of refugees, immigrants, and the community at large into a self-sufficient, healthy, and inclusive multiethnic society. Through its five primary locations – IRCO Main, Africa House/Skill Center, Asian Family Center, Senior Services Center, and the International Language Bank – the organization provides programs and services related to training and employment, health and aging, English language learning, naturalization and social adjustment, community development, early childhood, parenting and youth development, education and interpretation and translation.
